Using low-carbon solutions and tapping in to renewable resources and energy can lead to a chain of positive effects and benefits to a company. However, many organisations are not taking full advantage of sustainability models, refusing to adopt new ways of thinking and overlooking a great deal of potential.

Being a relatively new and very dynamic field, there are many routes into going green – clean power, sustainability strategies, affiliation with good, sustainable resources and causes, adopting CSR programmes... Perhaps part of the headache is caused from deciding where to start, and once solutions are made in one part of the organisation, this may not be consistent throughout, leading to patchy and unorganised strategies.

But if taken seriously, with the right amount of commitment and enthusiasm throughout the organisation, the benefits will far outreach expectations – not only through huge savings in costs, but also heightening brand value and the company’s reputation, by becoming one of the forward-thinkers in your industry. Also, with smoothed and streamlined sustainable processes, your operational hazards and risks will drop significantly.

Five top tips for your sustainability strategies:

Think long term - down the line:
Profits may have to be less important in the short-term in order to get a decent sustainability strategy in place for the long-term. Your company is investing in this process for a brighter, more smooth-running and more profitable future.

Include the whole organisation:
Get everyone involved and, more importantly, excited to be a part of your new initiatives.

Look up and down the chain:
Think of your whole chain as one unit, and minimise your environmental footprint. Check out what your suppliers and distributors are doing – they may even be able to offer cheaper or more efficient services if they take sustainability measures onboard.

Set goals and targets:
Sustainability has no end goal – it is an ongoing process – but it is important to be able to see and feel progression.

Promote:
Show off your green credentials and be proud of how your company is leading the way for the future of sustainable business.

Author

Beth Monday

Head of Operations at Proudly Carbon Neutral

About

Head of Operations at Proudly Carbon Neutral - Sustainability In Motion